Introduction: In Buddhism, A Very Short Introduction, Koewn gave us a general introduction about Buddhism.

There are nine cha ters in total. The !irst cha ter introduces us to the seven dimension o! religion that a lied to Buddhism. The second cha ter gives us a glim se o! the li!e o! Buddha, !rom when he was born to the last words he said be!ore assed away. "ha ter three discuss about the meaning and conce t o! Karma and #ebirth. "ha ter !our !ocuses on the !our noble truths, which are $i!e is su!!ering, Su!!ering is caused by craving, Su!!ering can have an end, and there is a ath that leads to the end o! su!!ering. "ha ter !ive and si% introduces us about the &ahayana and Buddhism in Asia. 'hile in cha ter seven and eight discuss about meditation and ethics under Buddhism oint o! view. $ast but not least, cha ter nine give us thoughts about Buddhism under the 'est(s view. In "atholicism, a Very Short Introduction, )("ollins success!ully introduced us to the world o! "atholicism. There are total o! seven cha ters in the boo*. The !irst and second cha ter was about the timeline history o! "atholicism, !rom +entecost to "hristo her "olumbus and !rom "olumbus to date. In the third cha ter, the author tal*s about "atholics on ,oad and the human condition. "ha ter !our introduces the seven sacraments and the "atholic "hurch. The seven sacraments are ba tism, con!irmation, -ucharist, enance, the anointing o! the sic*, holy orders, and matrimony. "ha ter !ive describes the moral li!e o! "atholicism and its teaching. .or cha ter si%, it describes the characteristics o! "atholicism. $ast but not least, cha ter seven discuss about the !uture o! "atholicism as well o! the humanity. Similarity/ 1. Monasticism: &onasticism may be described as a movement among ba ti0ed "hristians who res ond to "hrist(s call to er!ection by giving themselves, through overty, celibacy, and obedience, to a li!e o! rayer, worshi in common, and the service o! others. In the 1th century, St Basil o! "aesarea 2d. 3456 and his sister St&acrina the 7ounger 2d. around 3896 contributed to the rise o! -astern monasticism. That in turn hel ed the rise o!'estern monasticism. St Benedict o! :ursia 2d. around ;;96, a!ter living as a hermit in a cave at Subiaco 2outside #ome6, gathered !ollowers and !ounded twelve monastic communities, each with twelve mon*s and an abbot a ointed by Benedict. <is sister, St Scholastica 2d. around ;136, who !ounded a convent a !ew miles !rom &onte "assino, is buried in the same grave as her brother. Their monastic way o! li!e roved a haven in an unsettled society, and hel ed to reserve some o! the

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